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Alternative Systems of Medicine in Lndia: an 0Verview Chandrukant Luhariya Raditional Medicine Those Not Originated in India, I.E

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Alternative Systems of Medicine in Lndia: an 0Verview Chandrukant Luhariya Raditional Medicine Those Not Originated in India, I.E Alternative Systems of Medicine in lndia: An 0verview Chandrukant Luhariya raditional Medicine those not originated in India, i.e. (TM) with Homeopathy. This article aims to (a) along The history of medicine Complementary summarize the evolution of different Medicine (CM) and types of medicine since antiquity; (b) indicales thut olmost every Alternative Medicine provide an overview ofASM in India; muior civilizotion und tulture (c) suggest a way forward as the (AM) are terminologies and hod developed their own system that are often used interchangeably for' country intends to progress towards curing diseoses, though lhe a broad range ofhealthcare practices, Universal Health Coverage (UHC). for theory, service delivery and systems opprouthes varied. From the Evolution of Medicine Since Ancient in both Eastern and Western parls of very beginning ol the humon the world (including for Ayurvedic Times there hos been on traditional civilization, medicine, naturopathy, The history of medicine indicates interest in controlling diseuses, Chinese medicine and homeopathy that almost every major civilization etc.) that have developed separately and culture had developed their ensuring good heolth und system of from the conventional own system for curing diseases, prolonging life. (Box These systems, medicine l). though the approaches varied. From all put together are referred to as the very beginning of the human Traditional and Cornplementary civilization, there has been an interest (T&CM). names of the civilization. The early Medicine in controlling diseases, ensuring good medicine practices, around 3000 BC health and prolonging life. Medicine India has a rich culture of T&CM, to 3500 BC, started independentlY in ancient form was practiced in all hereafter used interchangeably in in every culture, which then started societies and civilizations-Egyptian, this article, the alternative systems influencing each other starting 200 (ASM), which include Chinese, Indian, Mesopotamian, of medicine BC, with a major convergence around Greek, Roman and Arab/Unani-and both Indian/indigenous systems i.e.. 800 AD onwards with the evolution Ayurveda and Siddha as well as is referred to and recognized by the {. afil The author is National Professional Officer with the World Health Organization, based at New Delhi. YO.IANA June 2019 25 of Arab medicine (Box 2). The dawn of scientific or modern medicine Box 1: Traditional and Complementary Medicine-Definitions started in the mid of the 15th century. o Traditional Medicine (TM): The sum-total ofthe knowledge, It evolved on the foundation created skill and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous by the ancient systems of medicine to different cultures, whether explicable or not, over a period of 4500 years (2500 used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement BC-1500 AD). In the mid of the or treatment of physical and mental twentieth century, the stream of illness. medicine based upon the concept of o Complementary Medicine (CM) or Alternative Medicine (AM): 'treatment of diseases by use of a A broad set of healthcare practices that are not part of that country,s drug which produces a reaction that own tradition or conventional medicine and are not fully integrated itself neutralizes the disease condition into the dominant healthcare system. In some countries, the term or disease-causing agents' started Traditional Medicine (TM) is used interchangeably with CM and getting popular and is now known as AM and also together as 'Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Allopathy or Allopathic Medicine. (C&AM) and are used interchangeably. These systems typically use a Allopathy is the most commonly used variety of methods that fal1 under the cAM umbrella (herbal remedies, system of medicine in India and most manipulative practices). other parts of the world. Most often, o Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM): T&CM it is Allopathic medicine compared merges the terms TM and CM, encompassing products, practices and to which other systems are termed practitioners. as traditional, complementary or alternative systems of medicine. India and Alternative Svstems of was formed in November 2014. In 7'13,668 already registered AyUSH Medicine 2002, the Government of India also practitioners, most of them being in formulated the National Policy on Ayurveda followed by Homeopathy. In the last three decades, there have Indian Systems of Medicine and There were 622 institutions offering been focused initiatives to mainstream Homeopathy. under-graduate courses (annual traditional and alternative systems of intake of 40,151) and 201 institutes medicine in healthcare services in Sustainedeffortsoverthevearshave resurted in an increaslg, India. The first full-fledged department i,l[l,J,'i::,oili.f,ffU;il',!?#f] ol providers in alternative:Iil1r.,",g for lndian Systems of Medicine and systems (rable,;-;-,-. or l)' Homeopathy (iSM&H) was created medicine. By the .;;;iilffi 2017 there were policy under the Ministry of Health and , 3,943 hospitals and The current National Health 27,698 dispensaries Family Welfare, Government of India, under AYUSH of India has proposed functionar systems, under in March 1995 to promote and regulate different administrative linkage ofAyuSH at all levels ofhealth controls ranging from the practice of alternative systems of State and Union systems, including service delivery as governments, local medicine in the country (Box 3). This bodies and others well as work force. The policy proposal (i.e. yoga deparlment was, in November 2003, Central Government Health focuses on inclusion of at work- Services renamed as Department of Alurveda, (CGHS); Railway, Coal place, in schools and in the community and Labour Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha Ministry and also run as an important form of promoting and Homeopathy (AYUSH). A fully by research councils and national health and wellness. The utilization of independent Ministry of AYUSH institutes). In March 2018, there were AYUSH services, ranges from 5-10 per Table 1: Human resource availability and production capacity for The current Notionol Heulth Policy traditional and alternative systems of medicine in India (March 2017) of lndio hus proposed functionul Already Under Graduate Post Graduate courses linkoge of AYUSH ot oll levels of Registered course heolth systems/ including servire practitioners No of Annual No. Annual Institutions intake Institutions intake delivery os well os work force. Ayurveda 428,884 338 2t.387 135 4,t22 The polity proposol focuses on Unani 49,s66 49 2,705 11 127 intlusion of Yogo ol workploce, in Siddha 8,505 09 520 02 94 schools ond in lhe community os Naturopathy ) )4) 25 1,630 03 45 qn promoting Homeopathy 284,47t 201 13.909 50 1098 importont form of TotalAYUSH 773,668 622 40,151 201 5,486 heolth ond wellness. Source: National Health Profile of India, 20 1 8. 26 YOJANA June 2019 tl1.rr11,111 - {,' Box 2: Evolution of Medicine SinceAntiquity o Indian Medicine: Medicine in India originated around 3000 BC, when the practice ofAyurveda is considered to have started' In addition, the Siddha system of medicine is also Indian in origin. the peritd of g00 BC to 600 AD is regarded as the golden period for Indian medicine, a period which coincides with widely accepted authorities in Ayurvedic medicine, such as Atreya, charaka and Sushruta. of them, atreya l"urr, s6,, BC) is considered as the first great Indian physician and teacher. Charaka (200 AD; also written as iaraka) wrote Choraka samhita and was the most popular physician of the time. Sushruta is referred to as the father of Indian surgery. He wrote sushruta samhita,atreatise on surgery (between 800 BC and 400AD). Around g00AD, the charaka and sushruta samhitas were translated into Persian and Arabic and Indian medicine had spread to Indo-china, lndonesia, Tibet, central Asia and Japan. o Egyptian Medicine: Egyptian civilization had well-advanced medicine, which is reported to have reached its peak in the days of Imhotep (2800 BC). Chinese Medicine: There are well-documented records of Chinese medicine since 2700 BC. Some of the medicinal practices of those times are still followed in various forms. Mesopotamian Medicine: The Codes of Hammurabi, in name of King of Baby Lone, were lbrmulated around 2000 BC in the Mesopotamian civilization to govern the conduct of physicians to guide health practices. Greek Medicine: Greek Medicine was most evolved between 460 BC-136 BC and Aesculapius (around 1200 BC) and Hippocrates (460-370 BC) were amongst the leaders in Greek Medicine. Hippocrates is often termed "Father as of Medicine" and the oath drafted by him guides medical ethics even now. Roman Medicine: Roman Medicine emerged from Greek Medicine. Roman Medicine was more about overall health with focus on disease prevention and control (and not restricted to curing illnesses, as was the predominant feature of some other medicines prevalent at that time or earlier). Galen (130-205 AD) was a famous Roman medical teacher, whose teaching lasted till mid of sixteenth century when some recent knowledge on anatomy and physiology emerged. Arab Medicine (unani Medicine): From 500 AD to 1500 AD, Greeko-Roman medical literature was translated into Arabic' The local adaptation gave birth to the unani system of medicines in schools of medicines and hospitals in Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo' The period of 800-l300AD is often referred to as the golden period inArabic medicine' Abu Becr (865 AD-925 AD; also known as Rhazes) and Ibn Sina (980 AD-1d37 AD; also known as Avicenna) are known as two leaders of Arab medicine. YOJANA June 2019 27 cent of total health service utilization Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is and plenty ofproviders in these systems variations with across Indian states often considered the most urgent reason and it is a great opportunify to tackle (Government India, of 2014). In the for developing and strengthening NCDs as well as other emerging health year 2015-16, people in India spent collaboration between conventional challenges in the country.
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